Like the world of fashion, perfumery evolves year after year, revealing new trends. Nevertheless, certain pieces remain timeless and manage to endure through the ages without ever losing any of their prestige. This longevity is the mark of the greatest exceptional fragrances. At Guerlain, this one is called Shalimar. Created in 1925, this feminine fragrance is once again coming to the forefront. This time, it is enhanced with a signature ingredient of the house, tonka bean: here is Shalimar Millésime Tonka.
In the artistic realm, certain works are born and never go out of style. This is how one recognizes exceptional creations. In perfumery, it is exactly the same. Guerlain's Shalimar made its appearance in 1925. It has therefore remained one of the best-selling feminine fragrances in the world for almost a century. In 2022, Guerlain decided to reinterpret its scent to turn it into a great vintage based on tonka bean. The birth of Shalimar Millésime Tonka is an excellent occasion to rediscover the history of its sublime bottle.
Shalimar Millésime Tonka, in a bottle straight out of the Roaring Twenties
Guerlain's Shalimar Millésime Tonka plunges us into another era from the very sight of its bottle. Indeed, this timeless perfume is presented to us in a pedestal basin with a chiseled base, in thick and sturdy glass. The whole takes on a fan shape. Now, these elements were highly popular in the Roaring Twenties. Likewise, the bottle of Shalimar Millésime Tonka is also highly evocative of the new trends and new fashions of the era. It fits beautifully into an Art Deco style, emblematic of the early 1920s. Ideally designed to bring out the noblest and most precious materials, it was designed by Raymond Guerlain, in collaboration with the house Baccarat. From its release, this bottle met with resounding success. As proof, it won first prize at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts, in Paris, in 1925.
Shalimar Millésime Tonka, an evocation of the gardens of Shalimar
The bottle of Guerlain's Shalimar Millésime Tonka also recalls the story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Indeed, let us recall, Shalimar was conceived as a tribute to their boundless love. Now, Shah Jahan had exceptional gardens built for his wife. In this sumptuous place, water gushed from fountains, amid lush vegetation. And it is from this that the silhouette of this bottle draws its inspiration, elegantly topped with a midnight blue cap. This is similar to the swirls of water in the gardens of Shalimar. Note also that Shalimar means temple of love in Sanskrit. Now, women's love for this perfume seems altogether timeless!
What small changes were made to the bottle of Shalimar Millésime Tonka?
Guerlain's Shalimar Millésime Tonka is now presented in a single 50 ml bottle. Its bat-shaped label is now tinted black, while the name Shalimar is written in capital letters at its center. This new label brings elegance to the whole, while harmonizing beautifully with its satin ribbon tied at its neck. Shalimar Millésime Tonka comes in understated and elegant packaging, tinted black and gold. The whole beautifully recalls all the opulence coming from the Orient and the desire of women in the 1920s to escape the oppressive postwar climate by turning toward a distant elsewhere.